Bruno Senna, the nephew of the late triple world champion Ayrton Senna who was killed when he crashed his Williams while leading the 1994 San Marino grand prix at Imola, will be following in his uncle’s wheel tracks next season when he makes his debut in Formula One with the newly formed Campos Meta team.
Senna, who raced in sports cars this year after finishing runner-up in the GP2 championship in 2008, will make his debut at next year’s season opener in Bahrain driving for the Spanish-based Campos Meta – one of four new teams scheduled to make their debut in the sport’s most senior category in 2010. Guardian.co.uk
“I hope, in a short time, that everybody remembers me for being Bruno, myself, and not for my uncle’s surname,” Senna said.
“I’ve learned to live with it and although it helped me at the beginning to find sponsors and find contacts, to be a driver you need to have a natural talent.”
Senna came late to the sport, having been prevented by his family from taking the usual karting route after his uncle was killed in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Sky Sports
“I want to score points for my new team and to be the best of all the new teams. Long term I would like to be Formula One world champion, it’s not enough just to get there.”
Senna, 26, is a former GP2 runner-up. He raced in the Le Mans series this year, having narrowly missed out on a drive for Brawn GP after testing for Honda last winter. His new boss, Adrian Campos, believes the “best is yet to come” from Senna.
“With little experience he lapped similar times to those of Button with Honda,” said Campos, whose team is one of four new outfits on the grid next season alongside Lotus F1 Racing, Manor GP and USF1. “These days drivers reach [F1] with 1,200 or 1,300 races behind them. Bruno has 200 at best.” Telegraph.co.uk
It is alleged that Ayrton Senna once said “if you think I’m good then wait until you see my nephew Bruno”. Whether that comment is true or not, the Brazilian has proved it himself. He finished runner-up in the highly competitive GP2 series last year, has shown a natural ability to race in the rain and on street circuits - two of the ultimate marks of a top talent - and also has a detailed understanding of the engineering side, providing the same thoughtful approach to racing as seen in his uncle Ayrton (not to mention the multiple world champion Michael Schumacher).
But even if the natural talent dissipates in the high pressure world of Formula One, Senna’s rapid journey to the top level of the sport just goes to show how far a name can get you.
“In the end I reached an agreement with Campos because they believe in me and because they think that my name will help them to get sponsors,” admitted Senna on the announcement that he will be driving for the new Campos Meta team next year. Yahoo! Eurosport
